Google has started rolling out the latest round of monthly patches for Nexus devices (and the Pixel C). Maybe you've got that nagging OTA notification on your phone, or maybe you only wish you were so lucky. If you need to update and the factory images are no good, we've got all the OTAs right here. If you want to know what's in this update, check out our full rundown.

You've all been asking: "how is this crazy weird new home button with the little colored dots going to work?" Today, we finally have an answer for you. In animated GIF form. Because that's the best kind of answer. Before the GIF - a bit of background. At this point, it is our basic assumption that the reasoning behind the home button's rather radically colorful redesign is in order to promote Google Assistant (possibly via Now / On Tap functions), which has been teased by Google in the past using these four little colored dots.

Google will introduce a new layout for its settings apps on the upcoming 2016 Nexus phones to accommodate its new Google Support tool (which we previously showed you), a new way to activate the ambient display mode via double-tap, as well as a "Night Light" to tint the display red (turn off blue pixels) for easier evening viewing, we've learned from a trusted source. The new settings UI and the Night Light mode are pictured below. We do not have any visuals of the support tab itself, unfortunately, though as we said in our previous exclusive, we believe the Google Support app will allow for live screen sharing with customer support reps for owners of supported Nexus devices.

According to multiple reliable sources, we believe that Google plans to debut a brand-new launcher for Nexus devices some time in the near future, likely on its 2016 Nexus (if they are Nexuses) smartphones Marlin and Sailfish.

Disclaimer: No matter the confidence level, there's always a chance product updates, features, and some or all details will be changed or cancelled altogether. As with all rumors, nothing is 100% until it's officially announced.

We do not have possession of any APKs we can distribute or unreleased devices, so please don't ask for them.

The monthly security patches are starting to roll out, and the sideload-able Nexus files are available for download if you don't want to wait. The full system images are there so you can start fresh, but the OTA files are available too if you want a quicker method. As usual, don't expect feature updates in this OTA, but there are ample fixes for vulnerabilities large and small.

New Nexus phones are right around the corner... which means it's a pretty great time to pick up the current models with a sweet discount. B&H Photo, Best Buy, and Newegg are all offering dramatic price cuts on the LG Nexus 5X and the Huawei Nexus 6P. Here's a breakdown of this weekend's deals:

Qualcomm officially announced the Snapdragon 821 processor this morning, and with it there has been growing speculation about just which phones will be among the first to feature the new alleged king of the chipset hill. Based on information from multiple and reliable sources, we believe it is extremely likely both of Google's upcoming Nexus phones, Sailfish and Marlin, will be using the Snapdragon 821.

The chipset, internally known by its model designation MSM8996 Pro, is claimed to be up to 10% faster than the outgoing 820. Such a modest speed increase points to a less significant chip release for Qualcomm, one likely focusing on honing and optimizing overall performance and efficiency than in seeking to introduce new technologies.

The Factory images and OTA ZIPs for July 2016 are now available for the full line of supported Nexus hardware (still waiting for the Pixel C). They're a little behind schedule this month, possibly because it was Independence Day in the United States on Monday, or possibly to leave time for some late-breaking security patches that may have been added in the eleventh hour. The Android Security Bulletin covers the list of vulnerabilities addressed with this set of updates, and for the first time it includes two separate lists: one dated July 1st and the other dated July 5th.

You know about Google's smaller new Nexus phone, Sailfish, but what about Marlin? Everyone's keen to know what the bigger - and ostensibly better - Nexus phone this year holds, and we've got the goods. Well, some of them - enough to sate you until we learn more. Let's get the basic stuff out of the way, I know you're not interested in waiting.

Disclaimer: No matter the confidence level, there's always a chance product updates, features, and some or all details will be changed or cancelled altogether. As with all rumors, nothing is 100% until it's officially announced.

Given the number of tips we've now received, it no longer seemed prudent to ignore a rather questionable rumor published by The Telegraph yesterday, claiming that Google plans to build a phone that is not a Nexus and release it by the end of the year. And yes: the report acknowledges that there are rumors HTC will build 2016's Nexus phones. The Telegraph claims this is something else. But the moment they started discussing reasoning, I became suspicious.

Although Android runs on the majority of smartphones sold globally, Apple still dominates the lucrative high-end of the market. The proliferation of Android device makers, many of which apply the software differently, means Google has struggled to ensure consistency, with some smartphone owners waiting months for updates, and some manufacturers relegating Google’s own internet services which are included in Android.